2011 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative agreement is to promote scientific and academic cooperation between the USDA, Agricultural Research Service's research unit based at the Jornada Experimental Range (ARS) and SAGPyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria de Argentina (National Institute of Agricultural Techonology; INTA), Cento Regional La Pampa-San Luis. Cooperation activities include the exchange of visiting scientists and graduate students associated to both institutions and the promotion of joint cooperative research projects regarding understanding and management of rangeland landscape. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Collaborative academic activities including seminars, scientific meetings, and courses will be planned according to mutual interests and requirements. Research activities concern primarily the development, design, and implementation of research projects in related sites in the Southwestern United States and Central Argentinean rangelands. Research activities will be focused primarily to increase the understanding of landscape dynamics in the semiarid ecosystems in order to develop site specific management strategies. Both institutions will facilitate the exchange of researchers to participate in academic and research activities in their respective countries. 3.Progress Report In 2011 four staff members from the research unit spent 1-6 weeks in Argentina with INTA scientists conducting workshopss on key ARS developed land management technologies and in establishing research sites in the livestock grazed grasslands of central Argentina. One Argentinean scientist spent two months with the research unit in 2011, conducting data analyses. One journal article from this collaboration on livestock management was published in 2011. Communication between collaborators occured through e-mail in preparation for in-country visit during FY 11.